US3683758A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for the continuous formation of regular stacks of flat workpieces such as flattened bags or sacks
Assignee: Windmoeller and Hoelscher KG
•
Filing: 1971-01-19
•
Granted: 1972-08-15
•
Expires: 1991-01-19
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for the continuous formation of regular stacks of flat workpieces such as flattened bags which initially arrive in the form of a row in overlapping formation on a supply conveyor. The apparatus includes a feed conveyor for taking the workpieces to a stacking station which is controlled by a retainer for intermittently and periodically halting workpieces on the conveyor. A counter operates the retainer by transmitting an impulse to it when actuated by the first workpiece to form such stack. A time switch releases the retainer, and a senser associated with the counter is provided to count off, downstream of the discharge end of the supply conveyor, the number of workpieces which are to form each stack. An impulse storer is operatively interposed between the counter and the retainer to store the impulse for a period equal to the time taken by the first workpiece to be moved from the sensor to the retainer.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Feldkamper
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 09:33
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H29/00; B65H29/66; B65H33/00; B65H33/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/10; Y10S414/115
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
Apparatus for the continuous formation of regular stacks of flat workpieces such as flattened bags arriving in a row in overlapping formation on a supply conveyor, comprising a feed conveyor for taking the workpieces to a stacking station, intermittently operable retaining means for periodically halting workpieces on the conveyor, counting means for operating the retaining means by transmitting an impulse thereto when actuated by the first workpiece to form each stack, a time switch for releasing the retaining means, a senser associated with the counting means for counting off, downstream of the discharge end of the supply conveyor, the number of workpieces which are to form each stack, and an impulse storer which is operatively interposed between the counting means and the retaining means and which is adapted to store the said impulse for a period equal to the time taken by the said first workpiece to be moved from the senser to the retaining means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
Apparatus for the continuous formation of regular stacks of flat workpieces such as flattened bags arriving in a row in overlapping formation on a supply conveyor, comprising a feed conveyor for taking the workpieces to a stacking station, intermittently operable retaining means for periodically halting workpieces on the conveyor, counting means for operating the retaining means by transmitting an impulse thereto when actuated by the first workpiece to form each stack, a time switch for releasing the retaining means, a senser associated with the counting means for counting off, downstream of the discharge end of the supply conveyor, the number of workpieces which are to form each stack, and an impulse storer which is operatively interposed between the counting means and the retaining means and which is adapted to store the said impulse for a period equal to the time taken by the said first workpiece to be moved from the senser to the retaining means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retaining means are provided upstreaM of the feed conveyor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the time switch is a time relay.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the feed conveyor is adapted to move faster than the supply conveyor during the time when the retaining means are operative.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
10 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including the said supply conveyor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the supply conveyor comprises first and second conveyor sections of which at least the second section forms part of the stacking apparatus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first and second supply conveyor sections are disposed at an obtuse angle to one another and the senser is provided in a gap between the two sections.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 including a pressure drum disposed above the second supply conveyor section adjacent the receiving end thereof to lie on the overlapping workpieces and rotate at a circumferential speed equal to the speed at which the workpieces are conveyed by the supply conveyor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including a gently ascending stationary step onto which the overlapping workpieces ride whilst moving on the supply conveyor and the end of which projects above the conveying plane so that the trailing ends of successive overlapping workpieces are leafed through as they drop from the step, the senser being arranged directly downstream of the step.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the step is formed by a rod and the senser is a leaf spring which extends beneath the rod to beyond the projecting end of the rod.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the conveying run of the feed conveyor is disposed at a lower level than the conveying run at the discharge end of the supply conveyor, the retaining means comprising a stationary suction box upstream of the feed conveyor in the plane of the conveying run thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 including a pressure drum disposed above the discharge end of the supply conveyor to lie on the overlapping workpieces.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retaining means comprise a displaceable baffle plate disposed above the conveying run of the feed conveyor to engage the leading ends of the workpieces thereon at a distance from the discharge end of the supply conveyor of at least equal to one workpiece length.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the retaining means include a stationary suction box upstream of the feed conveyor in the plane of the conveying run thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said impulse storer comprises a cam disc driven through a friction clutch by the supply conveyor for operating the retaining means and for operating a control mechanism for the feed conveyor by means of a switch, and the impulse storer further comprises locking means controlled by the counting means for releasing and locking the cam disc after each complete revolution thereof, the drive transmission ratio of the cam disc and the disposition of a cam thereon being such that operation of the retaining means and control mechanism after opening of the locking means by the counting means occurs only after a period adequate for enabling the supply conveyor to move a workpiece from the sensor to the retaining means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
131 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the impulse storer comprises an endless chain which is driven in synchronism with the supply conveyor and is equipped with transversely displaceable operating pins, means actuated by the counting means being provided at one side of the chain adjacent the path of the operating pins for transversely displacing the operating pins and a switch for operating the retaining means and a control mechanism for the feed conveyor being provided on the other side of the chain at a spacing from the displacing means substantially equal to the distance between the senser and the retaining means, the lateral spacing of the switch from the chain being such that it can be actuated only by an operatIng pin that has previously been displaced by the displacing means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
129 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the impulse storer comprises an endless magnetic recording tape which is driven in synchronism with the supply conveyor and is equipped with a recording head actuated by the counting means for transmitting the impulse from the counting means to the tape, a scanning head for transmitting the impulse from the tape to a switch for operating the retaining means and a control mechanism for the feed conveyor, and an erasing head for erasing the impulse from the tape, the spacing of the scanning head from the recording head in the direction of tape movement being equal to the distance of the senser from the retaining means and the erasing head being disposed downstream of the scanning head in the direction of tape movement.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the switch of the impulse storer is disposed in an electric control circuit for the time switch of which the main circuit contains the retaining means and the control mechanism for the feed conveyor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-15 | 1976-02-14 | 1976-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-15 | 1980-02-14 | 1980-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-15 | 1984-02-14 | 1984-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |